On the buying of local craft soaps...

[blethenstrom]

I think you are spot on with this. My (recent) favorite artisan soap/croap/cream (everyone’s definition is different) is Officina Artigiana Milano. It lathers easily and create a very rich cream which lasts for a long time. I find it superior to other soaps which are in similar price range or even more expensive. They do use most of the products you mention, although I can imagine it is not a perfect base and they can be criticized as well.

Here’s the ingredient list they use:

Aqua (Water), Stearic Acid, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Castor Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Potassium Hydroxide, Parfum (Fragrance), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil , sodium hydroxide, linalool

That should be a pretty decent shave soap as long as the coconut oil (cocos nucifera oil) percentage is not too high and it does not seem like it is since you have tested it.

soap/croap/cream are kind of an ambiguous terms. The soap you have is what they call a dual lye soap. This is the most common for shave soaps. It uses both potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide lyes. The ratio between these two have a large impart on how hard/soft the soap will be. The more potassium hydroxide you have the harder the soap and vice versa. Correspondingly the harder the soap the longer it will take to load your brush. Also, a longer lasting soap will be harder. When a shaving soap crosses from a soap to a croap to a cream . Very subjective I would say.

Most bath bars are just made with potassium hydroxide, because you want a hard bar of soap that last a while.

 

[SHAVEWIZARD420]

usually a quick glance at the ingredient list Can show if it would be a functional shave soap or not. If it's at a farmer's market/art show place

NO OLIVE OIL-


this oil is usually a rookie mistake by a mature shave soapers. Can be great for a bath soap but causes lather stability issues if not used in proper proportions. This one caution could help save tons of aggravation.

 

[Kurkahn]

The ratio between these two have a large impart on how hard/soft the soap will be. The more potassium hydroxide you have the harder the soap and vice versa. Correspondingly the harder the soap the longer it will take to load your brush. Also, a longer lasting soap will be harder. When a shaving soap crosses from a soap to a croap to a cream . Very subjective I would say.

Most bath bars are just made with potassium hydroxide, because you want a hard bar of soap that last a while.

Mmh, with all due respect I think it is the other way around. Potassium hydroxyde makes soft soap while sodium hydroxyde makes hard soap.

 

[blethenstrom]

Mmh, with all due respect I think it is the other way around. Potassium hydroxyde makes soft soap while sodium hydroxyde makes hard soap.

My bad you are completely correct.

 

[DesertIguana]

Do not know a reason to try most stuff made by people who do not know what it takes to make great product.

Idea, small batch, lots of testing, and time to get something right.

Too many good soaps with long track records.

Know years ago there was produce that made water wetter. Called Photo Flow, worked great on photographic negatives, and print to leave both spot free.

Problem with product it is not safe to use on your skin.

Shaving soaps need do couple of things, make beard soft, and lubricate so blade can work to remove cut beard.

Smell or sell is only small part of equation.

 

[steelwindmachine]

If I can't find the maker's soap on B&B and positively reviewed by several folks, I won't touch it.

There are too many high quality, vetted and exceptionally performing soaps on the market to risk irritation to my face or demeanor to support an unknown maker - sorry, but it's my face and money.

 

[Mitzie]

Traceability of the ingredients used, should there be a skin or physical reaction is of concern to me from such enterprises. ie Beef tallow soaps and the link with 'mad cow' disease etc...but I've bought some great beef tallow hand soaps from one such outlet which are fantastic on the skin and to shave with. It's a pity that nowadays soap, including shaving soap manufactures, are moving away from using beef or wool tallow which have been used in soap making for millennia leaving such farm outlets, some of the only places to source such products at an reasonable price.

 

[been around]

Local artisan soaps are like homebrew beer. No two batches are the same. I have tried local artisans and for the most part was disappointed.

 

[SharpieB]

Yup! been there, done that.

As an example, I love buying bath/shower soap (whatever it is called!) from an amazing little soap store in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. They have dozens of varieties… they use coffee, pumace, mint, fruits… you name it. Amazing stuff. I’ll drop $100+ a year on their amazing soaps and it is all I use.

They also make shaving soaps and I really really wanted to love them as they smelled amazing. Nope. Absolute garbage.

What can you do.

 

[rockviper]

Hey, you look different, @SharpieB ! Botox?

 

[SharpieB]

Hey, you look different, @SharpieB ! Botox?

Trip to Madrid, got a cool pic and got sick of looking at my bass!

 

[geneaut]

If I find a scent that resonates with me and the price is right I'll sometimes make a purchase of this sort, but with the full knowledge that I may end up using it as a shower soap. As long as I approach it with that mindset I don't mind taking a chance from time to time.

That said I occasionally shave with bath soaps so my tolerances for what constitutes acceptable lather is fairly wide.

 

[Tillerman]

The first shave soap I bought was at a local farmers market. I didn't have enough experience to know if it was good or bad, but I used it all up. Then bought some Col Conk. Not that impressed.
Was later gifted a Stirling Sheep. Shannon soaps nil and sudsy soapery unscented soap. All three if these do a good job. I also use RR what the puck products and have a stick or two of Arko!. They do OK too.
Now I want to go back to the market and get another soap to evaluate it since having more experience and other soaps to compare it with.

 

[Luc]

I got into that same situation years ago. There was that lady at the farmer's market. She was always there every week.

I ignored the clues:

• Olive oil is on the ingredient list.
• The husband had a ZZTop beard and agreed that it was a great shaving soap.
• Shave soap suddenly appeared in the line-up (usually, bath soaps and candles).

When I mentioned the olive oil, I was told that it makes it so slick. I've suggested coconut oil instead but was repeated that olive oil is slicker.

That was $10 down the drain. So, it's not too bad.

 

[GR5233]

Definitely have to keep an eye on the ingredients list when buying shaving soap at farmers markets, flea markets or Etsy Don’t get me wrong. There are some good soaps out there but you probably will have to go through a lot of dross to find them

 

[dfs]

If you want to clean out your smelly armpits, buy artisan "shave soap" at a market/fair. If you want to shave, avoid these as a general rule.

 

[guitarslinger]

I tried a local shave soap. I don’t think the lye/fat ratio was right. Got chemical burns.

 

[Doc Dan]

I make my own shave soap, but I am in no way a professional at it. I agree what have been said in this thread so far. However, not to miss any great local artisan soap maker we have to educate ourself a bit on the type of ingredients that "should" be in a decent shave soap. Unless there is stearic acid, tallow or fully hydrogenated soybean oil as the first ingredient don't even buy it. There may be some that has palm oil as the first that might be ok as well. These fats are what gives you the creamy lather and not bubbly. Coconut oil should be at the most the 2nd ingredient, but further down the list is probably better. This is the "bubbly" ingredient. If you see butters like shea, cocoa or something like that high up on the ingredient list good. Creamy lather stuff. If you see castor oil you know, they know, what they are doing, since that makes for a long lasting lather. You can get by without it, but it certainly gives the longevity a boost. They may or may not have a clay like bentonite or kaolin, but it is not a must. Also if you see olive, canola, vegetable, corn, peanut oil high on the list I would be cautious as well. These can reduce the lather, but lower on the list they may help with not feeling dry post shave.

Yes I have encountered several so called "shave soaps" at farmers markets and chain soap stores that are definitely not suitable to bear that name. Unfortunately, we have to be informed and know a bit of what it should have in it.

Thanks. That was actually helpful.

 

[Doc Dan]

I'e not been brave enough to try any flea market shaving soaps. There is a guy nearby, a barber, who makes his own soaps. I couldn't get past the smell so I never used it. I think I tossed it. Imagine a teenager soaked in Axe and you get the idea. I'm sure teens learning to shave would have loved it. I have tried hand and body soaps locally and got burned, literally. They weren't cured, yet. They were cold made soaps.

 

[been around]

Maybe the best way to judge local craft soap is the quality of the cartoonish artwork on the wrapper. I prefer sci-fi artwork personally.